Women: Feeling Hopeless May Cause Stroke

Hopelessness has been linked to thickening in the neck arteries of women.

Does that sound unusual to you? It should. The study is unique. The new hopelessness study by University of Minnesota Medical School researchers is the first to establish that women who feel hopeless could have a higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Findings were published in the journal Stroke.

Study participants:
559 women around age of 50 with no clinical signs of heart disease

Tests:
Researchers asked participants about their personal goals and the future. Symptoms of depression were measured via an assessment scale with 20 items. Ultrasound images measured thickness of neck arteries.

Results:
Women reporting hopelessness about personal goals and the future also had more atherosclerosis (thickening of neck arteries), a predictor of stroke. After adjusting for other heart risk factors, the difference found was still significant.

The study authors conclude that middle-aged women with higher levels of hopelessness may have “greater subclinical atherosclerosis independent of age, race, income, CVD risk factors, and depressive symptoms.”

Sounds like women should take action against prolonged feelings of hopelessness.

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